Thomas Farmer
30-Jun-08, 13:33
During the First World War, fishing was made even more hazardous by the laying of Minefields in the North Sea; they were laid as part of the outer defences for the protection of Scapa Flow.
A large Minefield was laid around the Sarclet Head, Clythness area, these mines could be laid by most Submarines, as they had the capability for laying moored mines through standard Torpedo tubes, in March 1916 H.M.S. E 24, was Britain’s first dedicated
Minelaying Submarine.
Prior to 1916, mines depended on clumsy mechanical detonators, which were not very reliable in preventing enemy shipping entering restricted zones.
In 1916 mines were fitted with sensitive Herz horns, which were linked by an electrical circuit to 225kilo (500lb) of explosive, which dramatically increased the menace to enemy shipping.
To give some perspective to the amount of mines laid, one minefield in the North Atlantic consisted of over 70,000 mines.
In order to protect allied shipping, designated safety zones were set up into which no ship could stray.
One of many such fishing boats in September 1917 was the “MARGARET” Wk 574. She was a 12-ton motor boat built in Wick by William Jack, and Donald Bremner, for William Parker, a confectioner in Bank Row.
She was originally named the Margaret Parker, and being about 46ft long she was a small but very modern boat when she was launched in September 1912.
In October 1914 she was sold to Messers Allan brothers of Thurso, who shortened her name to “Margaret”and fished her out of Wick.
Her crew in 1917, were, skipper William Gunn 63, from Barrogill St, his brother, James Gunn 57, from Sarclet, John Miller sen 68, from Macrae St, John Miller jun. 40, from Vansittart St and my great grandfather James Oag, 36, from Huddart St, all of the crew were originally from the village of Sarclet
On her final voyage which began at 6pm. On the fifth of September 1917, coincidentally nearly five years to the day on which she was launched, it would be much like any other evenings fishing, two hours travelling to the fishing grounds, about ten hours fishing, then two hours steaming back to Wick harbour, about a fourteen hour day. Unknown to the “Margaret”her fate was probably sealed thirty-six hours before she left harbour.
On the morning of the fourth of September, the fishing boat Crystal River came into contact with, and got entangled in a minefield two miles off Sarclet Head.
On the fifth of September ten hours before the “Margaret” sailed, the fishing boat Volunteer, was two miles off Clythness when she came into contact with mines.
Undoubtedly some of these mines would breakaway from their moorings through the nets having been tangled with them.
At eight pm. on the evening of the fifth two hours after the “Margaret” had left Wick harbour, she was seen by the fishing boat Pentland, Wk 576, who just shot Its nets, this was four miles off the Old Man of Wick, the “Margaret” went about a mile farther south where she too began to fish. Darkness began to fall, and the Pentland lost sight of the “Margaret”.
At four am.the following morning, the Pentland was about two miles off Bruan Head hauling her nets when the crew heard a violent explosion a short distance to the south of them, a large column of smoke and water was seen to rise high up into the air, they at once headed for the general vicinity of the explosion and remained there until six o clock. All that was visible to them were some nets half a mile to the south, there was no sign of the “Margaret” which they had expected to see in the general area.
The Pentland then hauled their nets and headed back to Wick harbour.
On their arrival they learned that the “Margaret” had not arrived so they reported what they had seen to the Harbour Master.
Around six o clock on the same morning, HM patrol boat Rosehearty was patrolling about three miles off Sarclet Head, when one of the crew observed part of the bow of a boat, which bore the number, Wk 574. Shortly afterwards the patrol boat hailed the fishing boat Volunteer, and related to the crew what they had seen. The skipper of the Volunteer replied “ that is the number of the Margaret”. Shortly afterwards a jacket was picked up in vicinity of Sarclet Head and was identified as belonging to James Gunn a crew member of the “Margaret”.
The loss of the “Margaret”and her crew was attributed to a breakaway mine coming into contact with her. As with all fishermen of the time, the crew of the “Margaret” must have been aware of the danger from floating mines, they were all very experienced fishermen. William Gunn, had been the skipper of the fishing boat Treasure, James Oag had been on the Elsay, John Miller sen. Had been on the Volunteer, and John Miller Jun. Had been on Admiralty service, up until five days before the fateful voyage.
Between them they left twenty three dependants, including nineteen young children. A disaster fund was started by the town’s folk and by the end of October, the considerable sum of £500 had been raised, to be distributed to the dependants.
A large Minefield was laid around the Sarclet Head, Clythness area, these mines could be laid by most Submarines, as they had the capability for laying moored mines through standard Torpedo tubes, in March 1916 H.M.S. E 24, was Britain’s first dedicated
Minelaying Submarine.
Prior to 1916, mines depended on clumsy mechanical detonators, which were not very reliable in preventing enemy shipping entering restricted zones.
In 1916 mines were fitted with sensitive Herz horns, which were linked by an electrical circuit to 225kilo (500lb) of explosive, which dramatically increased the menace to enemy shipping.
To give some perspective to the amount of mines laid, one minefield in the North Atlantic consisted of over 70,000 mines.
In order to protect allied shipping, designated safety zones were set up into which no ship could stray.
One of many such fishing boats in September 1917 was the “MARGARET” Wk 574. She was a 12-ton motor boat built in Wick by William Jack, and Donald Bremner, for William Parker, a confectioner in Bank Row.
She was originally named the Margaret Parker, and being about 46ft long she was a small but very modern boat when she was launched in September 1912.
In October 1914 she was sold to Messers Allan brothers of Thurso, who shortened her name to “Margaret”and fished her out of Wick.
Her crew in 1917, were, skipper William Gunn 63, from Barrogill St, his brother, James Gunn 57, from Sarclet, John Miller sen 68, from Macrae St, John Miller jun. 40, from Vansittart St and my great grandfather James Oag, 36, from Huddart St, all of the crew were originally from the village of Sarclet
On her final voyage which began at 6pm. On the fifth of September 1917, coincidentally nearly five years to the day on which she was launched, it would be much like any other evenings fishing, two hours travelling to the fishing grounds, about ten hours fishing, then two hours steaming back to Wick harbour, about a fourteen hour day. Unknown to the “Margaret”her fate was probably sealed thirty-six hours before she left harbour.
On the morning of the fourth of September, the fishing boat Crystal River came into contact with, and got entangled in a minefield two miles off Sarclet Head.
On the fifth of September ten hours before the “Margaret” sailed, the fishing boat Volunteer, was two miles off Clythness when she came into contact with mines.
Undoubtedly some of these mines would breakaway from their moorings through the nets having been tangled with them.
At eight pm. on the evening of the fifth two hours after the “Margaret” had left Wick harbour, she was seen by the fishing boat Pentland, Wk 576, who just shot Its nets, this was four miles off the Old Man of Wick, the “Margaret” went about a mile farther south where she too began to fish. Darkness began to fall, and the Pentland lost sight of the “Margaret”.
At four am.the following morning, the Pentland was about two miles off Bruan Head hauling her nets when the crew heard a violent explosion a short distance to the south of them, a large column of smoke and water was seen to rise high up into the air, they at once headed for the general vicinity of the explosion and remained there until six o clock. All that was visible to them were some nets half a mile to the south, there was no sign of the “Margaret” which they had expected to see in the general area.
The Pentland then hauled their nets and headed back to Wick harbour.
On their arrival they learned that the “Margaret” had not arrived so they reported what they had seen to the Harbour Master.
Around six o clock on the same morning, HM patrol boat Rosehearty was patrolling about three miles off Sarclet Head, when one of the crew observed part of the bow of a boat, which bore the number, Wk 574. Shortly afterwards the patrol boat hailed the fishing boat Volunteer, and related to the crew what they had seen. The skipper of the Volunteer replied “ that is the number of the Margaret”. Shortly afterwards a jacket was picked up in vicinity of Sarclet Head and was identified as belonging to James Gunn a crew member of the “Margaret”.
The loss of the “Margaret”and her crew was attributed to a breakaway mine coming into contact with her. As with all fishermen of the time, the crew of the “Margaret” must have been aware of the danger from floating mines, they were all very experienced fishermen. William Gunn, had been the skipper of the fishing boat Treasure, James Oag had been on the Elsay, John Miller sen. Had been on the Volunteer, and John Miller Jun. Had been on Admiralty service, up until five days before the fateful voyage.
Between them they left twenty three dependants, including nineteen young children. A disaster fund was started by the town’s folk and by the end of October, the considerable sum of £500 had been raised, to be distributed to the dependants.